Sharad Pawar

Arvind Kejriwal and his party comrade and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann arrived in Mumbai on Tuesday evening.

Speaking on Monday at a condolence meet for Ram Takawale, the Pune University's vice chancellor who passed away recently, Pawar said opposition parties might face a little task of projecting one person as the prime ministerial candidate if they come together.

Pawar said opposition parties might face a little task of projecting one person as the prime ministerial candidate if they come together.

Kejriwal’s planned meetings with opposition leaders dovetail with efforts by others to forge a united non-BJP front as an alternative to the Narendra Modi government in next year’s Parliamentary elections.

The results of the recently held Assembly elections in Karnataka show the situation is gradually changing, Pawar said at an event in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district

Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar has been meeting Opposition leaders to strengthen the bloc against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Queried on an atmosphere of confusion prevailing against him, especially his future political course, Ajit Pawar blamed the media and his "wellwishers", a cryptic reference to his detractors in politics.

Pawar, who had sprung a surprise by announcing his resignation three days ago, said he could not disrespect the sentiments of his colleagues and party workers who insisted that he withdraw his decision.

Praful Patel and senior party leaders met Pawar at his Silver Oak residence in south Mumbai after a committee formed to choose his successor rejected his decision to step down as NCP chief.

"The committee has unanimously passed a resolution. It unanimously rejects his decision to step down and urges him to continue as party president," Patel said after a meeting of the committee.

The committee was set up by 82-year-old Pawar to pick his successor and it includes Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule, former Union leader Parful Patel and Bhujbal.

The meeting will take place at 11 am at the party office in south Mumbai, the leader said.

Had the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party contested the 2014 Assembly polls together, they would have retained power in Maharashtra, he wrote in the updated version of his autobiography, released on Tuesday.

In his revised autobiography 'Lok Majhe Sangati', which focuses on events post-2015, released on Wednesday, Pawar also admitted that there were informal talks between some NCP and BJP leaders after the 2019 assembly polls in Maharashtra when there was uncertainty over government formation.

Pawar's announcement, which came at an event to release the updated version of his Marathi autobiography, stumped leaders and workers of the 24-year-old party, and many were seen crying and pleading with the Maratha strongman to reconsider his decision.

Sharad Pawar resigned: Speaking at a book launch of his autobiography at the Yashwantrao Chavan Pratisthan, Pawar announced his decision which was met with protests by NCP workers and leaders.

Pawar tweeted that a delegation led by Satyajit Chavan called on him at the YB Chavan Centre here.

Sharad Pawar spoke to reporters here after state industries minister Uday Samant met him to discuss the issue.

Notably, amid rumours that he is cosying up with the ruling BJP, Ajit Pawar on Friday said he would "100 per cent like to be the chief minister" of Maharashtra and that the NCP can stake a claim to the post of the CM "now also" instead of waiting for 2024 when Assembly polls are due in the state.

On Monday, Ajit Pawar also dismissed as false the reports that he has called a meeting of MLAs on Tuesday, amid intense speculation in Maharashtra's political circles about his growing proximity with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).